The Ivy-Girl Cometh (or is that Returneth?)!

November 14, 2008 on 4:38 pm | In Uncategorized | No Comments

So—lose faith I’d ever update again? I just about did myself, ha ha. So sorry!

As it happens, my Mom’s health has been declining (cancer, if you recall)…she’s been in the hospital for quite a while and no one’s really sure what direction she’s going to turn (get mammograms, ladies! And men: urge your womens, and check your own prostates and testicles! Don’t make me come do it for you!). So that, plus this weird thing I have about backburnering “fun” work (ever do that? Like, if it’s got an element of fun, it can’t be as important as the scrubbing, filing, or budget-calculating-type stuff?) lead me to here.

It won’t happen again. And why? Because of Texas. Wizard World Texas, that is!

In Texas, I officially met Sarah Arnold, who provided me the origin quote in my previous contest entry (Congrats to Erin Wilcox of New York City who won my guessing prize, by the way!). Sarah Arnold and her (male) buddies make-up the fan-tastic group (get it?) Metropolis, a fan-made fledgling live radio show (listen to it Thursdays at 7pm Central time at http://www.ktxt.net/) and annual convention, which I understand is already garnering thousands of attendees! What an origin indeed, folks! Always feel free to tell me about what projects and art you’re working on! This is the stuff Wizard itself is made of, and I want to celebrate all of it!

Anyway, talking to Sarah and lots of other comic fans, who all asked what was up with my blog, made me realize that yeah, this is my little thing to build, just like everyone else has their own podcasts, comics, conventions, and blogs–and what a shame to let the Ivy wilt!

So that said (Whew! Where the *&^&’s the brevity button round here?), I think I’d like to give a shout out this week to the absolutely rad-tastic time I had in Texas. See if you can spot the gender-related parts of my tale, ha ha!

Day One. Boarded plane. Everyone’s favorite lesbian country singer, KD Lang is seated right in front! AHHH I freakin’ love her! I wanted to buy her a drink and have a stewardess bring it to her, so as not to be intrusive, but I chickened out. Possibly the biggest regret of the YEAR for me, but then again, what if it wasn’t her?? I couldn’t shake the nagging doubt.

Day Two. Lots of set up. Little known fact: All of us editors and writers at Wizard double as Convention Staff. Security, ticketsellers–all of us. I’m always working Exhibitor Registration and constantly get mistaken for a $4 an hour chick, and get asked to hold up garbage cans for people to spit their gum into. Not that I mind, but I do feel bad for the comics creators who don’t necessarily realize who I am and what mingle-potential they’re missing. If I can work in who I am without sounding like I have an ass-sized ego, I try to, because I really do love to hear about what folks are working on, and maybe there’s potential to give them some coverage.

Here’s Wizard Staff Writers Steve Sunu and Kevin Mahadeo, and Fulfillment Specialist Clyde Pezzini helping with set-up. All three of these guys are seriously among the most charming, smartest fellas I know.

Day Three.First day of the Con! Crazy busy. I meet Jon Cassaday, who is adorable. And then about an hour later, I meet his Mom. She says “My son Jon used to love the Kool-Aid. He had like one of those permanent cherry Kool-Aid mustaches all the time!” So cute! And blackmail-licious…hmm…

Next, I get to know the Hebert Brothers! Alan and Chris Hebert, possibly the two most delightful teddy-bears-with-a-sweet-twist-of-wiseass I’ve ever met, are at the con promoting their new Lazerman comic, available for preorder now through HBComics.com, as a Wizard con exclusive. This is us below (Alan’s on the left)!

I go out to dinner with Kevin, Steve, Clyde, Wizard photographer Dylan Brucie, and Dylan’s awesome girlfriend, Kelly at the end of the day. The girl who seats us can’t get over Clyde’s handlebar mustache, keeps asking to touch it, calls us a “big ball of funny” and doesn’t throw us out (it’s nice to stay til dessert). She’s in this pic we took at the restaurant, a place called Papacito’s in Arlington, below:

Day Four. Jodie Westhoff, assistant show manager, my roomate for the trip, and all around supergirl gets to taste the soda Mr. Pibb for the first time in years, thanks to the guys at Boomstick Comics, who brought her three freakin’ cases of it!

She really deserves the sugar: Jodie is one of those workers who not only never stops, but always handles everything with a smile. I totally couldn’t believe what this chick had to deal with (calls at 2:30 AM to organize travel for our guests, constant circulation around the show floor, fielding phone calls and walkie-talkie requests all at once). She’s such a role model!! And I’m pretty sure, sound asleep right now!

Also, I tell some dude in a spectacular Klingon suit he looks great. He comes around my counter and kisses me on the forehead with a big wet ::muah!::. Who knew there was House of Snuggles in the Empire?

And now, some dude in a Thor costume:

That night: Match Game! A charity event for The Hero Initiative, Conventions Assistant Brett White, definitely one of the funniest men I know, period (I think he thinks I’m weird because I always try to stand by him all the time (tough when our offices are on different floors)…he just really freakin’ makes me laugh), hosts. Panelists include celebs like Scott Adsit from Morel Orel and 30 Rock, artist extraordinaire Terry Moore and Talent Caldwell, who actually blew off other plans to help with this event! You rule, Talent! Below, Brett hosting (with Talent in the left corner):

Day Five.Last Day of con: everyone getting punchy, but having tons of fun. Lou Ferrigno kisses me; I die. After they put defibrilators away, I go get my victory dance for a con well done: a picture with Corey Feldman, clearly the cooler Frog brother, grabbing my head.

Why is he grabbing my head? Because I love my boyfriend. Marc grabs my head, and Marc loves Corey Feldman. Could I go wrong smushing the two? When I asked Corey about this, he agreed, replying, “You look like you have a very clean head.” He liked the smell of my shampoo, too.